The "street" I live on.
Posted on 04/02/2011 6:48:43 PM PDT by OddLane
A fibrosis of bicycle lanes is spreading through the cities of the world. The well-being of innocent motorists is threatened as traffic passageways are choked by the spread of dull whirs, sharp whistles and sanctimonious pedal-pushing.
Bike lanes have appeared in all the predictable places—Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berkeley and Palo Alto. But the incidence of bike lanes is also on the rise in unlikely locales such as slush-covered Boston, rain-drenched Vancouver, frozen Montreal and Bogotá, Colombia (where, perhaps, bicycles have been given the traffic lanes previously reserved for drug mules). Even Dublin, Ireland, has had portions of its streets set aside for bicycles only—surely unnecessary in a country where everyone's car has been repossessed.
Then there is the notorious case of New York City. Not long ago the only people who braved New York on bicycles were maniacal bike messengers and children heeding an abusive parent's command to "go play in traffic." Now New York has 670 miles of bike lanes—rather more than it has miles of decently paved streets.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Q: What is a two word definition for “bicyclist”?
A: Organ Donor.
I dread driving during the summer months because of bicyclists. The newest hazard is the bike rider who pulls out of the bike lane, and passes on the left.
I drive an older 3/4 ton (built like a tank) truck with grille guards for exactly that purpose.
I am well aware of the mindset, hubris and attitude of these creeps and they EARN their reward.
Does he wear the helmet, too?
In my opinion it depends on the city.
I have been to Amsterdam many times, and bicycles outnumber cars.
The same is true in MANY cities outside of the USSA.
In my small town here in the Philippines, cars are so few in number that there is no need for bicycle lanes. The whole street is our lane.
I do not think any US city would qualify for dedicated bike lanes.
One interesting note:
When I lived in Bratislava, every weekend I would take a lengthy bike ride along the Danube.
They have a four lane divided highway just for bicycles, skate boards, and roller blades. No motorized vehicles allowed at any time.
It is quite long, going from the city center, to the
Austrian boarder.
Two lanes were built on top of the dam, and on the downside of the damn is an older road that was closed off to ANY motorized traffic.
It is very popular on weekends, with pubs and eaterys at regular intervals. Oh, and there is a neat nude bathing lake at the end :)
As for the spandex bikers, I agree....such fruitcakes.
That’s what they did with some of the busiest streets around here. Took 4 lane streets and made them two lanes, a turn lane and two bike lanes.
A local reporter conducted a survey over 24 hours and counted some 14,000 cars and 7 bikes.
Bicycling in urban areas is a vanity that wastes other peoples' money and endangers their safety.
That was a neat post, AW.
Having spent 6 years in a college town (Ann Arbor) I have grown to hate cyclists. So many of them weave in and out of traffic and do not stop for signs or lights. A few of them were mere inches away from ending up as hood ornaments on my car.
I’m fear the possibility of a cyclist falling into my car’s path.
I’ll bet most of you commenting here would be amazed at the number of rock-ribbed conservatives I enjoy chatting with on bike rides. NOT in NYC :-) but in fly-over country where cycling is just part of an outdoor lifestyle and like hunting, skiing, or any other we wear proper clothing and gear and obey the rules.
But you all knew that, didn’t you?
Sounds like our smaller city. Bike lanes everywhere but very few bikes. Maybe they are all preparing for when none can afford to drive anymore.
“That was a neat post, AW.”
Thank you...I was expecting someone to jump me for the misspelling of the second dam,(damn) but the word damn is so stuck in my mind with Obozo as president, haha
Just this morning I saw a post where there was a simple misspelling. It was just an omitted letter.
The poster was so embarrassed, he made a second post to correct it. I started to post that it was not necessary to apologize.
If not for my automatic spell check, I could not post at all.
I live in southeastern Jackson county about 30 miles from Ann Arbor. Its a whole different country over here.
OK, that was funny.
Hint back at you, you need the helmet because you aren't Lance Armstrong or Evel Knievel. The helmet isn't for speed, it's mostly for protection. And that protection is needed even at the speeds amateurs attain.
But wearing one of the tear-drop, speedy looking helmets on a cruise to the malt-shop does make you look like a doofus.
Biking down Boylston street without helmet would be outright insanity. Buddy of mine saw a kid get hit by car not too long ago. Kids head went into the windshield face first. No helmet.
Completely agree with the condemnation of the the entire biking culture though. Really make things difficult for the rest of us.
oh - I should add I've never worn a piece of spandex my entire life.
And that's what they did to Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington D.C. and Broadway Ave. in New York and who knows how many other locations. Officials in London, England recently announced that they propose an automobile free city in the near future.
Mobility is freedom, and freedom is not permissible in the New World Order.
If you have any suggestions on how to eradicate this malignancy, please advise. . .
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